Throughout the article links have been added to the relevant sections on the site in order for you to do the actual steps yourself so keep an eye out for this icon : . By clicking on it you will be taken to the relevant page on the NZIS website.

• Biotechnology
• Information Communications Technology
• Creative industries (Advertising, Software & Computing Services, Publishing, TV and Radio, Film and Video, Architecture, Design, Designer Fashion, Music and Performing Arts, Visual Arts).

The points are awarded as follows (as at 29 July 2009). You can get an idea of your points here or at the official NZIS site .

Description	Possible Points	Your Points
Skilled Employment in New Zealand (Choose one or none)
Current skilled employment in NZ for 12 months or more OR	60
Offer of skilled employment in NZ or current skilled employment in NZ for less than 12 months	50
Bonus points for employment or offer of employment : (can have more than one)
in an identified future growth area	10
in an area of absolute skills shortage	10
in a region outside Auckland	10
Qualifications
Recognised basic qualifications (eg., trade certificate, diploma or degree)	50
Bonus points for qualifications (can add multiple bonus points)
Recognised post-graduate qualification (Masters degree, Doctorate)	5
At least 2 years study in NZ towards a recognised qualification	5
Recognised NZ qualification gained through at least 2 years study in NZ	5
Recognised NZ post graduate qualification	10
Qualifications in an identified future growth area	0
Qualifications in an area of absolute skills shortage	10
Relevant Work Experience (choose one only)
2 years OR	10
4 years OR	15
6 years OR	20
8 years OR	25
10 years	30
plus Bonus points for (choose only one)
1 of those years being worked in NZ OR	5
2 of those years being worked in NZ OR	10
3 or more of those years being worked in NZ	15
More Bonus points for (choose only one)
2 to 5 years work experience in an area of absolute skills shortage OR	10
6 or more years work experience in an area of absolute skills shortage	15
More Bonus points for (choose only one)
2 to 5 years work experience in an identified future growth area OR	0
6 or more years work experience in an identified future growth area	0
Age (choose only one)
Under 20 OR	0
20-29 OR	30
30-39 OR	25
40-44 OR	20
45-49 OR	10
50-55	5
Your Family
Close family member living in New Zealand, who is a resident or citizen of New Zealand	10
Your Partner (can gain multiple points, but they must have suitable English ability)
Work in NZ or offer of work	20
Recognised basic qualifications (eg., trade certificate, diploma or degree)	20
Close family member living in New Zealand, who is a resident or citizen of New Zealand	10
Your Score is

Every year NZIS is given a quota of immigrants they are allowed to grant residence to. This quota is set by the government at the end of June. For the 2009 / 2010 year it has been set at 45 000 to
50 000 approved places. Of these places it is estimated that between 26 800 and 29 950 will be granted to those applying under the Skilled Migrant option.

Obviously there are more people wanting to come to New Zealand than the available places. NZIS then rank the applications in decending order. They then choose the most valuable candidates and progress down the ranks until their quota is full.

In order to speed up this process and not waste their, or your time, they have structured the immigration process into two steps :

Expression of Interest (EOI) - where you tell them what you have and they calculate your points based on that information. If you have enough points you go into a pool along with the other canididates. From that pool the best candidates are selected and invited to apply for residence.

Invitation to Apply (ITA) - You are required to prove what you said you have in your Expression of Interest. If everything checks out okay, you are granted residence.

Currently the minimum points you need in order to submit your Expression of Interest is 100, but this just means that you will be accepted into the pool of EOI's (Expression of Interest). Every two weeks NZIS selects the best applicants with the highest points first, then those with lower points after that. When the quota has been reached, all the remaining applicants are returned to the pool. Your application can remain in the pool for up to 6 months.

The pecking order for selecting applications is as follows :

1. Points totalling over 140 - automatic selection
2. All EOIs with a job or a job offer claiming points between 100 and 135 points.
3. All EOIs claiming 15 points for work experience in an area of absolute skill shortage and with a points total between 100 and 135 points.
4. All EOIs claiming 10 points for work experience in an area of absolute skill shortage and with a points total between 100 and 135 points.
5. All EOIs claiming 10 points for a qualification in an area of absolute skill shortage and with a points total between 100 and 135 points.
6. All EOIs with a points total of 115 points where there are no points claimed for a job or job offer, work experience in an area of absolute skill shortage, or qualification in an area of absolute skill shortage.

If you do have enough points, you can get an idea of the steps required to apply for Permanent Residence HERE

If you don't have enough points, or if your qualifications are not on the skills shortage list, then all is not lost. Many folks are in this boat and are still able to move to New Zealand by finding themselves skilled employment or working for a period of time in New Zealand or by following one of the other migrant options. An overview of the various migrant options is available HERE.